As is known, currently available are memories of an electromechanical type, each of which is formed by an array of memory elements of an electromechanical type, which are designed to store information.
In general, each electromechanical memory element can operate in two different states, each of which can hence be associated to a corresponding information bit. In other words, each electromechanical memory element can vary a mechanical characteristic of its own, in such a way as to enable a corresponding coding of information.
More particularly, electromechanical memory elements are known designed to modify the shape or arrangement of respective mechanical elements, in an electronically controllable way.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,979,149, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference, describes an electromechanical memory element comprising a mechanical component that undergoes plastic deformation alternatively into a first position, where it exhibits a first curvature, or a second position, where it exhibits a second curvature, it being possible to associate said first and second positions to corresponding information bits.
The U.S. Pat. No. 7,839,710, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference, describes, instead, an electromechanical memory element including a cantilever element, the arrangement of which in the space is controlled by using electrostatic forces. In particular, thanks to the use of said electrostatic forces, the cantilever element is set alternatively in a first position, where it is in contact with a substrate, or else in a second position, where it is separate from the substrate. Once the cantilever element is brought into contact with the substrate, the contact between the cantilever element and the substrate is maintained by forces of adhesion that originate in the points of contact between the cantilever element and the substrate, these forces of adhesion being greater than the elastic force associated to the deformation of the cantilever element. It is hence possible to associate a corresponding bit to the position assumed by the cantilever element, this information being maintained over time precisely thanks to the action of the forces of adhesion. More in particular, the information is maintained until the cantilever element is moved away from the substrate by applying an appropriate voltage to a control electrode.
In practice, if the two surfaces, respectively of the cantilever element and of the substrate, between which the forces of adhesion are set up are referred to as “surfaces of adhesion”, programming and holding of the information depends upon the conditions in which the surfaces of adhesion are found. In the case of an electromechanical memory formed by a plurality of electromechanical memory elements, the conditions can vary from one electromechanical memory element to another, with consequent limitation of the reliability of the memory itself. In fact, the conditions of the surfaces of adhesion are not easily reproducible (in an exact way) from one electromechanical memory element to another.
There is accordingly a need to provide an electromechanical memory element that will solve at least in part the drawbacks of the known art.